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Authorial Bloopers

edited January 2013 in - Reading
I was reading a DCI Banks book this morning. He was remembering, in 2010, his daughter and her friend (currently aged 24, so born in 1986) playing hopscotch and whip'n'top.
Whip'ntop? That was old fashioned when I were a lass, and I'm 57 this year. The girls would have been playing in the early 90s. Reverting, Peter Robinson? I know it's set in rural Yorkshire, but they aren't that far behind the times.

Comments

  • I love Peter Robinson books, but I agree with you on this one. Hey, Mrs Bear, I'm the same age as you!
  • [quote=Mrs Bear]I know it's set in rural Yorkshire, but they aren't that far behind the times. [/quote]

    You'd be surprised. whipntop was still around in the non-rural areas of Yorkshire in the early 1980s, so entirely possible for it to be done in the 90's rurally. Depending on how skint you were, and your family traditions. I could certainly see it in some families round here even now - more "retro" in some cases than need. Farming areas especially.
  • edited January 2013
    I am 57 too, and as I began primary school in Derbyshire in 1960, the whip and top were just about going out of fashion. By the time I was in juniors in 1963 they had completely disappeared. Hopscotch continued to be popular until after I had left school, and I think I last saw it played in the very early 1980s.
  • I live in rural Yorkshire - and trust me, we are a LONG way behind. Innocent pastimes still prevail over computer games with the kids - it's brilliant.
  • Yorkshire sorts are so detached from the happening lands of London. Worlds apart.
  • It was always thus...:)
  • [quote=SilverLinings]You'd be surprised. whipntop was still around in the non-rural areas of Yorkshire in the early 1980s, so entirely possible for it to be done in the 90's rurally. Depending on how skint you were, and your family traditions. I could certainly see it in some families round here even now - more "retro" in some cases than need. Farming areas especially.[/quote]

    We're still trying to get over the Black Death in Sunderland;-)
  • I played whip and tops in th late 1940s I had a leather bootlace on my whip with a piece of string attached to make it spin faster. We played booleys as well.
  • Whips, leather and booleys. You trying to tell us something matey
  • I've heard about whips and lesther but what the hell is a booley? - please enlighten an unshockable old lady, what have I been missing?
  • I had a whip and top, and a hoop which I'd bowl along with a stick. (would this by the quaintly named 'booley' ?)
  • I used to love playing with my top (when I was a very small child)- it had the handle you pumped up and down to make it turn at speed and make a noise.
  • [quote=Carol]I used to love playing with my top (when I was a very small child)- it had the handle you pumped up and down to make it turn at speed and make a noise[/quote]

    Ah yes. I remember my Great Grandmother telling me about these things;-)
  • Yes I've seen pictures on walls in caves about them too.
  • edited February 2013
    [quote=dora]Yes I've seen pictures on walls in caves about them too[/quote]

    Now that's a bit too harsh :-)





    Funny though
  • yfc54 said Whips, leather and booleys. You trying to tell us something matey

    I was a young child at the time and the only thing I like about leather is the smell of it.
    Booleys: It is a large hoop similar to a hula hoop but made of wood which you kept rolling with a stick.
  • edited February 2013
    [quote=yfc54]Ah yes. I remember my Great Grandmother telling me about these things [/quote]

    Wow, it must have been an antique when I played with it. ;)
  • I don't know- I was a child in the 90s and we played a 'kerby' and 'bunk out'. I went to a museum in Lancaster which talked about the games victorian children played and althoguh they called it something different (kick-can or something like that) it was 'bunk out'. I never had a whip 'n' top though, but you never know. We certainly had hopscotch at school.
  • We used the flagstones on the pavement for hopscotch - simply chalked the numbers in - it wouldn't be allowed now - come to think of it most pavements around here seem to be tarmac.
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